London may soon introduce 5 new exciting European train destinations

The Swiss National Railways (SBB) is working on a new five-hour connection between St. Pancras and Basel via a Channel Tunnel using Eurostar trains. The Spanish company Evolyn wants to open direct connections to Frankfurt, Cologne, Zurich and Geneva.

Currently, customers travelling from London to Switzerland have to travel a long way by three trains, which usually takes up to seven hours. This includes a transfer to a Eurostar train from the UK to Gare du Nord in Paris, MyLondon reports.

Then passengers can take the RER metro to Gare de Lyon, from where they can take a TGV train to Basel. But, according to the Daily Mail, Swiss railroad officials hope that the new route will involve travelling by only one train, requiring only one security check and passport control at the departure station.

The plans to connect London with Basel were confirmed by Philipp Mäder, Head of SBB's International Passenger Traffic,  at a conference of the Swiss Tourism Association.

Speaking at the event in November, Mr. Mäder said, "As a long-haul destination, we are considering a direct train from Switzerland to London, the most frequently served city in Europe. It takes about five hours to get from Basel to London, so it's possible."

Where can you travel now

Customers can currently travel to the following destinations when booking on the Eurostar website:

Paris Gare du Nord

Brussels Midi/Zuid

Amsterdam, Central Station

Lille Europe

Rotterdam, Central Station

Disneyland Paris

Lyon Part-Dieu

Cologne Hbf

Avignon TGV

Strabourg-Ville

The winter sale means travelers can book trips for as little as £39 one way. When booked through Trainline, a one-way ticket is currently only £51 for some dates in January.